Name: Taco Casserole (Keto, GF)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 lb ground beef (or ground turkey); 16 oz cottage cheese (drain ); 1 cup chunky salsa; 2-3 Tbsp taco seasoning (sugar free); 1 3/4 cup cheddar cheese (shredded (or Mexican blend))

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An easy 5 ingredient taco casserole recipe that's low carb, keto friendly, high protein, made without chips, and has a boost of extra protein from cottage cheese! Ready in 30 minutes. It's a Whole Lotta Yum!

mexican keto casserole with sour cream and other garnishes on top

This keto taco casserole is so good!

Keto taco casserole is a fantastic variation to standard tacos that includes lots of cheese, tons of flavor, and is so simple to make!

This is a taco casserole without chips, no cauliflower (many add cauliflower and ours does not), and made without tortillas. Seriously, it's just 5 ingredients!

And if you're looking for even more keto Mexican recipes, be sure to check out our green chili casserole with chicken, keto taco salad, or fajita chicken bake.

keto mexican casserole with taco toppings served in a cast iron skillet

What you'll need

Ground beef - ground turkey works well too! We used Butcher Box
Cottage cheese- use regular, not low fat if you're eating keto
Chunky salsa
Sugar free taco seasoning - we make our own no-carb seasoning since most store brands add sugar
Cheddar cheese, shredded - use medium, sharp, or mix the cheese half and half with Monterey Jack. Shredding fresh cheese works better than pre-shredded cheese.

Optional toppings- lettuce, tomatoes, olives, avocado, salsa, sour cream, cilantro, or chives.

mexican casserole keto ingredients photo

We get an every other month grass-fed meat delivery from Butcher Box, here’s the Butcher Box site to check out what they’re all about. You get $30 off your first box with our link.

How to make taco casserole bake

Be sure to drain the cottage cheese, some brands seem to add more liquid to the container than others and too much liquid might make a runny casserole!

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Brown the Meat

While it's heating get started on cooking your ground beef (or ground turkey) on medium heat on the stovetop. This should take about 7-8 minutes.

Tip: If you have a cast-iron skillet, this becomes a one-dish casserole since you can bake in it too.

While the meat is cooking, slice and dice any optional taco toppings you want to add after the keto Mexican casserole is done cooking. Drain the grease well.

Combine

In a medium-sized bowl combine the cottage cheese, ¾ cup of the shredded cheese, the chunky salsa, and the taco seasoning. Make sure you're using a sugar-free taco seasoning and sugar-free salsa to keep the taco casserole keto-friendly.

Mix the meat with the cottage cheese and salsa mixture. If you're using a cast-iron skillet you can carefully just add it to the skillet and mix it with the meat.

If you did not use an oven-safe skillet, spoon the casserole mixture into a small baking dish. Use one that's narrow and an oval or rectangle, not an 8x8 pan.

Top with 1+ cup of shredded cheddar cheese or a blend or cheddar and Monterey Jack.

assembling the low carb taco casserole in a cast iron skillet before baking

Bake

Bake for 20 minutes on the middle rack until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is bubbling. If you're using individual-sized ramekins , you cut the baking time down to 15 minutes.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

You can also serve this recipe with all of your favorite taco toppings like chopped lettuce, tomatoes, olives, jalapenos, avocado, sour cream, cilantro or salsa.

taco casserole keto in a skillet on a white background

Jenni's tips

Use chunky salsa instead of a liquidy salsa to prevent the casserole from being runny.
Cook everything in a large skillet like a cast-iron skillet to make this a one-dish meal, or use any skillet you have and then transfer the casserole to a baking dish.
If you're making individual casseroles in ramekins, bake the recipe for 15 minutes instead of 20.
Shred your own cheese from a block since pre-shredded cheese adds starch to keep it from clumping, which also increases the carbs.
Use cheddar cheese, or go half and half with Monterey Jack for variety.
Be sure to check the label on the cottage cheese! Buy a brand with low net carbs, ours had 5 net carbs per ½ cup serving.
Cut back on either the cheese or cottage cheese if preferred to lighten things up!

More Keto Mexican Recipes

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Recipe

mexican taco casserole with garnishes in the pan

Taco Casserole (Keto, GF)

WholeLottaYum

An easy low carb and keto taco casserole that only has 5 ingredients and takes 30-35 minutes to put together and cook!

4.48 from 116 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Course Keto

Cuisine Mexican

Servings servings

Calories 523 kcal

Equipment

Casserole Baking Dish
Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

2 lb ground beef or ground turkey
16 oz cottage cheese drain
1 cup chunky salsa
2-3 tablespoon taco seasoning sugar free
1 ¾ cup cheddar cheese shredded (or Mexican blend)

Instructions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Drain the cottage cheese, some brands have a lot of liquid.
Cook the ground beef on medium heat on the stove top. Drain the grease.
Combine the cottage cheese, salsa, taco seasoning and ¾ cup of the shredded cheese in a bowl. Add in the cooked ground beef.
Put the casserole mixture in a shallow casserole dish like a cast iron skillet that's oval or rectangular, not an 8x8 dish (it's too small). Sprinkle with the remaining ¾ cup of shredded cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes until the mixture is heated through and the cheese is melted. Top with your favorite garnishes! Serve immediately and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Use chunky salsa instead of a liquidy salsa to prevent the keto taco casserole from being runny. Drain if there's a lot of liquid.
Cook everything in a cast-iron skillet to make this a one dish meal, or use any skillet you have and then transfer the casserole to a baking dish.
If you're making individual casserole servings in ramekins, bake the recipe for 15 minutes instead of 20.
Shred your own cheese from a block since pre-shredded cheese adds starch to keep it from clumping, which also increases the carbs.
Use cheddar cheese, or go half and half with Monterey Jack for variety.
Be sure to check the label on the cottage cheese! Buy a brand with low net carbs, ours had 5 net carbs per ½ cup serving.
Cut back on either the cheese or cottage cheese if preferred.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 523kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 55gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 168mgSodium: 1161mgFiber: 1g

Keyword gluten free, keto, low carb, Mexican, turkey

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Comments

4.48 from 116 votes (115 ratings without comment)

Low Carb Taco Casserole

This keto taco casserole is so good!

What you'll need